https://permies.com/forums/t/118/trees/Growing-Trees-Loose-Rock
JForum - http://www.jforum.netGrowing Trees in Loose Rock Cody of the Cody'sLab Youtube channel does lots of things with growies and non-growies. Much of what he does is based on things he wants to try and observation/revision. I will note, that he also plays with toxic gick too, especially mercury. At least I can play with mercury via his exposure?

Way back in May 2017 (this year - yes my playlist is enormous) he showed himself and his dad out on their property planting store-bought starter trees amongst the trees already established in a rocky part of the hill behind the house. While I take several objections to his approach, the concept is quite sound, especially since trees have already established themselves in that dry, high, arid land.

Objections:
Store bought trees rather than seed (especially because the root-balls were TINY)
adding water crystals to already water-retentive soil
and of course, not taking it far enough. Where are the water-retention features on that enormous hill? For example, there are no horseshoe berms or thoughts to take rocks and establish trees all along the hill...

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Growing Trees in Loose Rock Personally I have no problem using something like those aqua crystals for a one-off planting of a tree. They are biodegradable, and over the life time of the tree are of negligible significance, but they can potentially make a big difference to getting a tree established.]]>https://permies.com/forums/posts/preList/73304/610145https://permies.com/forums/posts/preList/73304/610145
Growing Trees in Loose Rock Air, nutrients, water. done.

I only object to water crystals because they are redundant, though I understand it as a kind of tree insurance and not toxic.]]>https://permies.com/forums/posts/preList/73304/610345https://permies.com/forums/posts/preList/73304/610345